Sour Apples Unite – A Safe Haven for Burned-out Educators

I feel best when I have structure in my days and when I have plenty of fresh air.  Here is my daily plan for Monday through Friday.

1. Wake up at 6:00 a.m. – Central Standard Time

2. Turn on the slow computer. Brush teeth, wash face, put on street clothes.

3. 6:15 -Make breakfast and coffee (yum)

4. Finish breakfast and coffee – Complete a chapter of Search for Significance devotional with Bible for about 30 minutes.

5. Do the Crossfit work out of the day or go for a long walk

6. Launder clothes on Tue, Wed, or Thur morning at 7 in place of working out.

7. Check Email/Pay bills

8. Check job alerts – Apply to job

9. Check Email – Follow up with contact people of places I applied to.

10. Lunchtime/ Go out for a walk by the lake or river area (I like water and fresh air)/ Personal spa treatment (I will brag – I can create a beautiful french pedicure on my toenails!)

11. Finish applying to job/jobs

12. Write three previous problems I solved at a previous job (doesn’t matter which one) or complete one whole exercise from What Color is Your Parachute, by Richard Nelson Bolles

13. Check email before 5 o clock whistle blows – including handling correspondence related to extracurricular activity

14. Go out with friends or go for a nice long walk to my favorite park.  Take the car to a neighborhood I like and go grab some ice cream, a drink, etc.  Enjoy a glass of wine somewhere in the mix.

15. Go to bed at around 10. 

Yes, I am very very structured.  I am a descendant of a family that is very detail oriented, driven, meticulous and uncharacteristically easygoing and hilarious. My father and his father are very structured.  My mother and her family – well, let’s say that we changed a restaurant reservation 3 times over the phone and ended up not going that night.   When I do not have a predetermined structure or routine, my day is not a very happy day and it contributes to my depression – especially in this season. 

I think that the clue I have gotten from the Good Lord – is it is best for me to schedule in times to leave the house – and to LEAVE the house.

Yesterday, I had my second interview in six months of looking.  I practiced the typical questions on a tape recorder over the weekend, but it didn’t prepare me for the questions I received yesterday.  I was so nervous and sweaty, I don’t remember what I said, but it was difficult to come up with a concise and clear answer for each question.  I clearly noticed that I sounded far less competent than I am and that my responses had little bearing on my ability to actually do the job I interviewed for. 

I have to admit that the stress of searching for full time employment with a very uncertain knowledge of who my support system is has really played a major factor in my interview skills.  In fact, I usually do well when I interview for a job when I am not in great need of one.  I suppose that it is a better idea for me to consider creating a routine for myself that will involve taking better care of me and putting my mental and spiritual health before finding a job. 

I have been at my part time job and worked an odd job, so I am not starving or on the brink of losing my shirt.  I am just grateful that I haven’t started drinking heavily or trying to score some recreational drugs.  The uncertainty of a season of searching for employment, especially full time employment is a lot more nerve-wracking than it may appear.  It is the test of a person’s character and what they rely on in order to get through the day. 

My faith has been shaken ever since I started graduate school.  It was not a pleasant experience.  Had it not been for my internship experience at another university, I am not sure if it would have been worth it.  Coupled with a difficult experience at school, I also had a hard time adjusting to the “do it yourself” mentality at my new church.  It is one thing to talk about the sovereignty of God, but actions speak much much louder than words.   When you are around successful people and you are lumped into the category of being affluent, successful, intelligent and an achiever – much greatness and togetherness is expected out of you – even when you are not told directly. 

My title means that I am ready to throw in the towel of doing a, b, c, d, e, f, g, ….of everything I have to do….and to really begin focusing on God’s sovereignty and taking care of myself over finding a job.  Jobs have positive and negative aspects to them.  Employment openings come and go with time.  People can only bring in a limited amount of support and comfort. 

I do not know how I am going to take care of myself because I have denied myself of any break, or grace.

This post is dedicated to a good friend and colleague.  I’ll call her Mrs. Cool.  Mrs. Cool and I met at work. She is one of the most enthusiastic and talented educators in my field of teaching.  Our jobs are hourly, with no full time opportunities looming in the future and of course, benefit-less. 

I took the job to continue to acquire professional experience during graduate school. Mrs. Cool took the job to contribute to her family’s income.  However, we have experienced some troubling dialogues with our Primary Boss, whom I will call Mr. Looneybin.  Mr. Looneybin has taken it upon himself to manipulate Mrs. Cool in a way that rattles my bones. 

I have come to realize that after talking to friends who are employed in different industries, that the supervisor is the main individual who sets the tone for the workplace climate.  Sadly, the workplace suffers when incompetent people are hired and they by pass the radar of detecting major character and sometimes mental illness issues that slow down the productivity and ruin the morale of the employees. 

There are always going to be problems between supervisors and employees. However, toxic elements that a supervisor brings to the table can lead to problems such as high turnover, employee deviance, and unproductive practices.  A toxic supervisor in a school environment, where educational staff are providing direct services to students will ultimately hurt the students in the long run. 

I am not a certified counselor or therapist, but I have compiled a list of toxic elements in a school that can be generalized into a non-education environment.

Signs of a toxic school work enviroment

1. Administrators and staff shift blame to the wrong people on a consistent basis and receive little or no disciplinary action as a result.

2. Administrators and staff are verbally, and/or physically abusive towards coworkers, parents and/or students.

3. Administrators and staff withhold important information or resources that staff/administrator needs in order to get his/her job done.

4. There is little or no recourse for detaining, suspending, or expelling students who consistently disrupt the class.

5. Staff and administrators are “encouraged” to remain quiet about factors that contribute to a negative work environment.

6. Unions are not allowed to function as organizations that advocate for the rights of staff, but are rather secretly controlled by school administration!

7. School personnel that engage in sexual activities with students, especially minors, are allowed to continue working in that school. Big conflict of interest.

I only came up with seven, but if you can come up with more – please write some more in the comments!

When I was preparing to be a teacher as a fledgling undergrad (I can’t believe it’s been about eight years since I graduated!), I thought that “networking” was a term only used for TV programming and fishing. I assumed that my B.S. and my student teaching would sell my abilities properly and BOOM! I would get the job I would keep for the rest of my life.

So, I have been sending my resume out to my friends and acquaintances, in order to “catch” more contacts, which may lead me to the job God has for me.  I got my previous positions through friends and friends of friends.  I am disciplining myself to wean off the internet and to let myself socialize and do things that I will not have time to do once I am re-initiated into 9-5ville.  I am thankful that I don’t have to rely solely on my wit and willpower and personality to get a job.

While I am not an advocate of passivity and lack of discipline in the job hunting/career changing journey – I am also thankful that my relationship with Jesus Christ has been carrying me through. 

I am far from the stereotypical Victorian Bible beating Church Lady, as showcased through Dana Carvey’s excellent acting skills on old school Saturday Night Live. In fact, I drink beer and bourbon and I watch Roseanne. However, the knowledge that I am loved and protected by Christ has really helped me through life’s incredibly difficult seasons.

If you are reading this and you want to learn more about Jesus, feel free to shoot me an email at sourapplesunite@gmail.com  If you are opposed to my belief system, please continue to hang out here!  This blog is designed for a diverse set of people with backgrounds in the field of education.

I chose the name Granny Smith because 1) it is my favorite apple (just chop some up and add it to chicken salad – it will definitely put some pep in your step) 2) The sourness of the apple reflects the state I have felt since making the decision to change my career from teaching in the classroom to another industry.

I want to state my vulnerabilities out in public because I know that somewhere in the world, there are educators who feel as if they are limited to a narrow part of the professional spectrum. It is lonely and sometimes tear-inducing, but being true to your heart and making the decision to leave the profession is going to pay off in the long run.

Story

The world of education is a very fascinating place. In most, if not all countries, we all have to attend primary, and maybe secondary school. Outside of the parents’ home, our development has been entrusted by our wonderful teachers. If you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs classroom teaching, you may find it surprising that teachers in fields ranging from preschool to trade schools to universities to workplaces (?) put in plenty of time, energy, talent and intellect into their lessons. As soon as the bell has rung, the section has ended and the five o’clock whistle has blown, most teachers’ real workdays have just begun.

I , Granny Smith appreciate all of the teachers who have inspired me to take on a path my family has never taken and continues to have a high respect for the profession.

As a woman who has not seen thirty yet, I am privileged to have taught hundreds of students in the pediatric and adult population. I have managed fourteen classes in three years and worked with a variety of wonderful people.

This website is a place where burned-out teachers who need perspective, confidential guidance and humor can come and take refuge. The site will contain stories you may relate to and my journey through finding a job that will enable me to use my gifts. The purpose of this site is to encourage and empower teachers and support whatever direction they choose to take in their career paths. But because I respect the profession, people and the institutions I have worked for, I choose to speak of my experience in general terms.

There is a sense of guilt that entails leaving any profession, but I have never felt such profound guilt making the decision to leave the teaching profession. Many people in teacher prep programs go in expecting to do this forever. In the US, at least, teaching is seen as a terminal career. Any slight deviation from it, such as educational administration, librarian profession and specialized therapeutic occupations, such as speech language pathology are acceptable in the community. If you feel an ounce of it, don’t feel bad!

I am in the process of seeking employment right now in another industry. Times are tough, but strangely liberating. If you are making a similar transition, I would love to hear your story and support your endeavors.